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Seddon Atkinson
This Article is from the Wikipedia article and the whole thing needs a re write as it disjointed, but fill a gap for a noted UK firm. Seddon Atkinson was a manufacturer of trucks based in Oldham, Greater Manchester, England. It is now wholly owned by IVECO who have used the brand latterly for certain specialised vehicles in the United Kingdom. Seddon Atkinson Vehicles Limited was formed after Atkinson Vehicles Ltd was acquired by Seddon Diesel Vehicles Ltd in 1970. It was subsequently bought in 1974 by the American firm International Harvester Corporation, was later by Spanish firm Enasa, and it is now owned by Italian IVECO subsidiary of Fiat. The model ranges currently produced are EuroMover, Pacer and Strato, aimed at refuse collection, recycling and construction operators. The range is sold across the UK by a network of 13 distributors, comprising a mix of dedicated Seddon Atkinson dealers together with dealers who also sell IVECO models. Recent Seddon Atkinson vehicles are readily identifiable from other IVECO products because of the company's former Atkinson logo, a large A within a circle, usually in chrome (or chrome-effect) on the radiator grille. The circular Atkinson logo dated from 1937, having largely replaced the 'Knight Of The Road' badge of earlier Atkinsons. (Bit of Badge Engineering ?) History Originally a firm of steam-wagon repairers and manufacturers, founded in 1907 in Preston, Lancashire, England, Atkinson & Co. evolved into Seddon Atkinson Vehicles Ltd through a succession of mergers. The Atkinson years 2008]] 2008]] Atkinson & Co. was founded in the Frenchwood district of Preston, the cotton town and administrative capital of Lancashire, by two of five brothers, Edward Atkinson (1880-1932) and Henry Birch Atkinson (1882-1921) with assistance from their brother-in-law George Hunt (1870-1950). The real and effective beginning of the company was in 1907, when the partners decided to capitalise on the need for local engineers to make temporary or permanent repairs to the increasing number of ‘pullcars’ and private motor vehicles on the road. By 1912, the organisation had moved to premises in Kendal Street and the number of employees had grown to twenty. In the same year a second, smaller repair centre was opened in Freemason’s Row, Liverpool, to cater for the enormous volume of steam traffic using the docks. Very soon the company made something of a name for itself in the north of England as quality repairers, and the growing number of operators brought new business from far and wide. Progress With the outbreak of war in 1914, demand for internal road transport grew considerably, the nation finding itself desperately throttled by the inadequacy of the railways to offer a complete transport network. Some method of local delivery and collection was needed to supplement the services of the railway companies, and with most of the existing steam wagon manufacturers turning their resources over to munitions production, demand increased further. The Atkinsons, shrewd observers at any time, decided to experiment by making a wagon of their own design, and in 1916, the first Atkinson six-tonne four-wheel steam wagon was produced in Kendal Street and became an instant success. The market enjoyed a short boom period following the Armistice and the Atkinsons, realising the potential, purchased a five-acre site of land near their homes in Frenchwood, on which they intended to erect a new and enlarged factory, solely designed for the production of steam wagons. Together with the field they also bought the 17th century Frenchwood House, with the intention of using it partly as their offices and partly as their personal quarters. By 1918 the Atkinsons had built up a competent team of engineers and salesmen as well as an enthusiastic and loyal labour force, and were producing wagons competitive in both price and performance. Henry Atkinson died suddenly in 1921 and consequently the company fell into the hands of his brother Edward. At this time, new ideas and designs were constantly being tried out while production rose to a peak of some three wagons per week, and the total labour force rose to well over a hundred and fifty. Decline of steam Edward Atkinson had a glorified view of steam and did not acknowledge the warnings when sales began to slow down in the mid-1920’s. Leyland Motors Ltd sold their steam remnants to Atkinson in 1926, followed by Mann in 1929. There seems to have been various family rivalries at the time and the firm was undoubtedly in difficulties when Edward Atkinson decided to seek help from mine engineers and Pagefield lorry makers, Walker Brothers of Wigan. Under a new arrangement, Walkers manufactured Uniflow steam engines for Atkinsons, but by this time very few orders were forthcoming. Edward Atkinson had cancer and was unable to pay any dividends on the preference shares and finally abandoned wagon production in 1929 after a grand total of about 545 Atkinsons had been built. The final years were made possible by a cancellation fee from Manchester Co-op Society, which had ordered a hundred wagons. The Frenchwood and Freemason’s Row factories closed with the end of the steamers, though the Kendal Street factory remained for repairing and servicing existing wagons. Edward Atkinson died in 1932 and a year later the firm he co-founded was acquired by London garage owner W. G. Allen, whose father had started Nightingale Garage. Allen was chairman of Atkinson Lorries (1933) Ltd and H. B. Fielding was managing director. Allen had effectively run the firm since 1931, and remained in charge until his death in 1949. The Seddon Years 2009]] engine at Boroughbridge Classic Vehicle show in 2009]] The firm of Seddon was formed in Salford, nr Manchester, England in 1938 as Foster & Seddon Ltd. Foster and Seddon a firm of truck dealers and Haulage contractors, decided that a small light weight truck that was able to fit under the 2 1/2 ton unladen weight limit that made all trucks above that have a 20 mph speed restriction. The plan was to allow a load of up to 6 ton payload that could then travel at up to 30 mph on the new cheaper diesel fuel. The first truck was built with a Perkins P6 engine, this proved popular but production was limited by the cramped factory and they moved to Oldham, in Lancashire and opened their Woodstock factory in 1948. The MK 5 forward control being very popular. They even started exporting in the 1950s, and changed the company name to Seddon Diesel Vehicles Ltd in 1951. The MK 7 a 3 ton (Capacity) lorry was introduced with a Perkins P4 engine. Followed by the Twenty-Five a Perkins P3 powered 1 1/2 ton local delivery vehicle. The MK 14 of 1956 with a stylish new cab was fitted with a Gardner 6LW, Gardner 6LX or a cummins HF6. The UK weight limits had been changed by the mid 50s and Seddon started building bigger trucks. This include Heavy Haulage models for export like the Seddon Sirdar a 30 ton (45 ton gross) 6x4 tractor or forward control chassis cab. This used a Cummins NH.B6 of 198 hp. And the Seddon 24SD8 and Seddon 24DD8 which were 4 axle chassis cabs, with either single or double drive rear axle boggies. The Seddon 13:Four of 1964 saw a move to a metal cab from Motor Panels, and was fitted with the Perkins A6.354 6-cylinder engine. this was followed by a 16:Four version fitted with a Perkins V8 of 170 hp. as the weight restriction changed in the 1960s demand switched to tractor units and the 32:Four was introduced in 1967 fitted with either a Gardner 6LXB of 180 hp or a Rolls Royce 220 hp engine. By the 1970 they built there last Seddon designed model the Seddon 34:Four a Tractor unit for general haulage. This had the Rolls Royce Eagle 220 hp , Gardner 8LXB 240 or a Cummins NH 220 hp options for engines. Light Weight Cabs Seddon were a pioneer of the use of Glass fibre cabs and body work to reduce the trucks weight, thus increasing payload. They set up a subsidiary " Pennine Coachcraft" to build them. Merger Atkinson was taken over by Seddons of Oldham in 1970, to form Seddon Atkinson Ltd, and production has continued in Oldham under the brand name of Seddon Atkinson Vehicles Ltd despite its recent acquisition by Italian truck firm Iveco. Seddon Atkinson Years in 2009]] The last "true" Atkinson, a Defender 8-wheel rigid bearing chassis number FC29941, was built at Atkinson's Walton-le-Dale works in 1975. For aper ? Take overs American Take-over The American International Harvester Corporation bought the firm in 1974. They later sold the firm when they got into financial trouble and were broken up by the banks. Alongside Seddon's facility at Oldham, the Atkinson works assembled the Seddon Atkinson 400 Series and also the first batch of the new 401 model, before closing at the end of 1981. Spanish Take-over The Spanish firm of Enasa bought Seddon Atkinson in ? Italian Iveco Take-over The Italian firm of Iveco part of the Fiat group took over the Spanish firm of Enasa in ? Iveco announced its decision to manufacture Seddon Atkinsons in Spain in 2005, and shortly afterwards the brand name was dropped altogether. Model range flatbed at Kettering Steam Rally 2008]] equipped as a Breakdown recovery truck ]] Atkinson models * Atkinson Black Knight * Atkinson Borderer * Atkinson Defender * Atkinson Leader * Atkinson Omega - Special export Oil field truck * Atkinson Raider * Atkinson Searcher * Atkinson Venturer Seddon models * Seddon Mk.5 * Seddon Mk.7 * Seddon Twenty Five * Seddon Mk.14 * Seddon Mk.15/10 * Seddon SD8 * Seddon DD8 * Seddon 13:Four * Seddon 16:Four * Seddon 32:Four * Seddon 34:Four Seddon Atkinson models * Seddon Atkinson 200 series - 1976-82 * Seddon Atkinson 300 series - 1976-82 * Seddon Atkinson 400 series - 1975-82 * Seddon Atkinson 2-11 series - 1986- * Seddon Atkinson 3-11 series - 1986- * Seddon Atkinson 4-11 series - 1986- * Seddon Atkinson Stratos - 1992- Preserved Vehicles ;Steam Only 2 Atkinson Steam vehicles survive in the UK (TER 2008)TER 2008 page 6 * Parts of a wagon (Boiler and other parts) * - Steam wagon - reg no. CK 209 Others exist in Australia. * add details ;Commercial vehicles Add details of any known preserved Atkinson, Seddon, or Seddon Atkinson lorry models to tables below. (to be created) * - Atkinson Castrol tanker at Lincolnshire Steam and Vintage Rally 2008 See also *List of Truck Manufacturers *List of Engine Manufacturers * British Commercial Vehicle Museum in Lancashire has some examples. ;Preservation * Shows and Meets * Clubs Listing ** Historic Commercial Vehicle Society(HCVS) - for classic truck collectors References / sources External links *Official Seddon Atkinson section of IVECO website *Pictures of Seddon Arkinson trucks, with a capsule history *Made in Preston *Big Al's Truck Stop Category:Defunct companies Category:Companies of the United Kingdom Category:Truck manufacturers of the United Kingdom Category:Iveco Category:Seddon Atkinson Category:Steam vehicle manufacturers Category:Atkinson trucks Category:Seddon Diesel Vehicles Category:International Harvester Category:Enasa